Cruising Trivia

The Lido Deck is the upper deck where the pool and buffet are situated. The term comes from the early days of transatlantic steamship travel. “Lido” is a 19th century term meaning a fashionable beach resort, with most authorities attributing its origins to the island Resort located on an island in the Adriatic sea of the coast of Venice, Italy.

European steamship lines, in the era of multi-class ocean travel, coined the phrase to refer to the pool and sundeck area used by first-class passengers.

What is the meaning of the term “sea legs”?

Originally “getting your sea legs” meant the ability to maintain your balance on a pitching deck solely by shifting your weight from one foot to another, without having to hold onto something for balance. It has since come to include the ability to tolerate a rocking ship without getting seasick. The common misconception is that it refers to the feeling of still being on a ship while on land.

What’s a poop deck and where does that name come from?

The term refers to a raised deck at the very aft end of the ship. Its origins go all the way back to ancient Rome when the early Mediterranean sailors used to carry sacred idols on raised platforms on the sterns of their vessel. Presumably, this was done so that the idolised god could look down upon the ship and its crew and grant them protection.

The Roman term for these statues is puppies. The platform they stood on was called a puppim, which became poupe, and finally poop deck.

Where does the term “as the crow flies” come from?

In the early days, mariners often carried cages full of crows or ravens for use as aids on coastal navigation. If the sailors were uncertain of their position and bearing to a nearby land mass, they would release one of the birds, which usually flew in the shortest, most direct route toward the nearest land. Because of this, the phrase “as the crow flies” has come to mean following a straight line.

The “X” stands for Chandris. Originally Celebrity Cruises was the upscale division of Chandris Cruises, a Greek company. The “ch” sound in Greek is represented by the letter “chi” whose alphabetical symbol is “X”.

When does a boat become a ship?

There is no official difference but the line is generally drawn at 20 metres, at which point a “boat” will become a “ship.

What is meant by a “guaranteed” stateroom or suite?

If you book a “guaranteed” stateroom or suite, you are only promised what you booked, and it could be anywhere on the ship, in the category that you have chosen. The actually cabin you stay in may not be assigned to you until sometime after your booking (usually only just before departure).

Some of the advantages of booking in this way is that at a minimum you are guaranteed a cabin in at least the category your chose, but you could also maybe get an upgrade. And, these cabins are often sold at a lower price than if you were to choose a specific cabin when booking.

But, you do risk giving up the chance to pick your spot, and while you won’t get a cabin in a lower category than what you booked, you do stand the chance of getting the worst cabin in that category.